19 July 2015

Background

This familiar account from Mark's Gospel of the feeding of five
thousand people is set against the background of John the Baptist's
recent execution by Herod (Mark
6:17-29) and the disciples recently returning from much work
(Mark 6:7-13). Jesus calls his disciples away to
a quiet place where they might find. When they arrive they find the
crowds there waiting for them. "…. and he had compassion for them
because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to
teach them many things" (v. 34) - perhaps here in Mark, Jesus takes
on the mantle of John 'the baptiser'.

As the day wears on after much teaching the disciples ask Jesus
to disperse the crowds, surprisingly Jesus asks them to find food
for them. They resort to talk of money and scarcity rather than
their own personal resources (verse 37).

Jesus blesses the small resources of food that are found and the
slender gifts are distributed miraculously. Mark's account echoes
in many ways the story of God providing manna from heaven when
people were complaining that they had been led into the wilderness
- out of comfort and safety to starve (Exodus
16). This echo of the past seems in part to be a messianic
action indicating Jesus's relationship with God and God's
people.

At times I can identify with the disciples' need to hide away
from the crowds to find rest, times when I have been to lead an
evening group and really feel too tired to do it, but curiously a
blessing comes from others which feeds me and tiredness is blown
away.

I have often seen groups of people who are reluctant to share
thoughts and ideas, often feeling 'no one wants to hear my
experience or ideas'. I have always felt that other people's ideas
are sometimes better than my own, that I learn far more from what
others might say. If the leader or facilitator of the group
'blesses' the ideas of individuals, there is a sense that the
person feels involved and included, and that others may feel more
ready to speak. For me often the best way of learning is through
group discussion because the sum total of what may be learned is
greater than all the individual contributions; also new thoughts
can be mysteriously drawn from our experience, by what has been
said before.

Blessing those contributions also means that nothing has been
wasted; every contribution, no matter how humble, may be given
time. The amount that was left over as waste is another indicator
of God's bounty; there was not just enough but far more than
enough.

To Ponder

How often do you go to a meeting or study group with your own
packed lunch or expectations or agenda rather than looking for
wisdom in others? How might you change this?

How much credence do you give to other people's experience no
matter how humble? Or do you trample on others' precious offerings?
Again how might you modify our behaviour?

Bible notes author

The Revd Michael Sawyer

Michael Sawyer is the minister of the Chelsea Methodist Church and Fulham Methodist Church. He was previously minister of Shepherd's Bush Road Methodist Church.